Aerial-literature distributer



A. LYON.

AERIAL LITERATURE DISTRIBUTER.

APPLICATION man Nov. 4. 191a.

, 1,360,422. Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

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gfi 1 Wm mum A. LYON.

AERIAL LITERATURE DISTRIBUTER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.4. 1918.

1,3 0,422, Patented Nov. 30, 1920;

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l1 r 30 d :1 36 iHHIHIJIHIHII 2K 3423 2 4- J \9 m Q Q 7 M /4 16 I o 0 r/9 2 23 3 25 shun Lynn ammo AUSTION LYON, OF BOUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK.

AERIAL-LITERATURE DISTRIBUTER.

Application filed November 4, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUs'rIoN LYON, a citizen of the United States, andresident. of Poughkeepsie, in the county of Dutchess and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aerial-Literat-ure Distributers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a distributor for literature, packages oranalogous material, and an object of the invention is to provide adistributer adapted to be carried by an airplane, for distributingliterature of any desired type, such as propaganda literature over enemyterritory and one which may be operated at the will of the pilot or apassenger of the airplane.

More specifically, the invention comprehends the provision of aretainer, having a follower mounted therein for forcing the literaturedownwardly upon an endless conveyer structure which carries theliterature out one side of the retainer, and drops the same fordistribution and also to provide a small spring operated gear for urgingthe follower into pressing engagement withthe literature or materialwithin the receptacle.

Another object of this invention is topro vide a spring motor structure,including a governor, for operating theen'dless conveyer which. deliversthe literature, and a brake mechanism associated with apart of thegearing'of the spring motor for controlling the operation of thedistributingconveyer and also to provide brake means coacting with thegovernor whereby the speed of" operation of the distributing conveyermay be regulated as desired.

Other objects of the invention will ap pear in the following detaileddescription,

taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthisspeci'fication, and in which drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of anair lane showing theimprovedliterature distri uter applied thereto.

Flg. 2 1s a fragmentary top planofan' airplane showing the distributerapplied thereto.

Fig. is a vertical section throughthe dist-ributer. l

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 261,078.

Fig. 4 is another Vertical section through the distrihuter taken atright angles to the section illustrated in Fig. 3.

I Fig. is a detail side elevation of a part or the distributing conveyeroperating mechanlsm illustrating the governor and the means forregulating the speed of operation of the conveyer.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view partially in section showing the connectionbetween the spring motor and the distributing conveyer, and Fig. is adetail side elevation of a part of the supporting structure of thedistributer. Referring more particularly to the drawings,the letter Aindicates an airplane of the pusher type, but it is to be understoodthat the improved, literature distributer may be applied to any approvedtype of airplane.

The airplane A, has the usual type of empennage B, commonly found in thepusher type of machine, and this empennage structure supports thedistributer which is generically indicated by the numeral 1. Y

Y The distributer 1 comprises a receptacle 2 which is substantiallyrectangular in shape and has a pair of braces or supporting bars 3attached to the under surface thereof and extendlng from one side of thereceptacle.

These braces 8 are adapted for attachment,

to one of the braces or struts of the airplane structure as indicated atB, and the body or receptacle 1 also has a pair of brace menibers 4attached to. the under surface thereof and projecting from the edgeopposite from which the members 3 project. Thesemembers 4 have theirouter ends enlarged and pro vided with bores which telescopicallyreceive the ends of braces or supports 5 whichare attached, at theirouter ends to braces orv beams C of the airplane structure. The enlargedheads 6 of the braces i are provided with longitudinally extending slots7 which receive therethrough threaded studs 8 carried by the bars 5.Wing nuts 9 are mounted upon the ,studs 8 for'clamping engagementagainst the upper surface of the head 6, to

hold the members 4- and 5 in adjustable con nected position.

The braces 3 and 4c are connected to the Patented Nov. 30, 1920..

literatureretaining receptacle 1 through the -n1edium ofv a connectingdevice 10 which preferably constructed of sheet metal so as to permit ayieldable connection with the airplane and the literature distributor.

The receptacle 2 is provided with a door 11 in one side of the same nearits top, through which the literature or other material may be placedwithin the receptacle.

The literature, placed within the recep tacle is forced downwardly bythe follower structure 12 upon the distributing conveyer 13. Thisconveyer 13 comprises an endless belt 14; having a plurality of flights15 attached thereto and the endless conveyer or belt ll is driven bymeans of sprockets 16 and 17 mounted upon shafts 1S and 19. The shaft 19is connected by means of a universal coupling 20 to a link 21 which isin turn connected by means of a universal coupling 22 to a shaft 23. Theshaft 23 is rotatably supported, by a suitable bearing 24: formed upon ahanger structure 25, and it has a beveled gear 26 keyed thereon. Apinion 2T meshes with he beveled gear 26 and with a beveled gear 28which is keyed upon a sleeve 29. The sleeve 29 is rotatably supported bya bearing 24 and about the shaft 23, being rotatably mounted upon thesaid shaft and connected thereto through the medium of the beveled gears26 and 28 and beveled pinion 27. This latter beveled pinion 27 iscarried by a suitable stub shaft 30 which is in turn journaled in abearing 31 carried upon one arm of the hanger structure 25.

A coil spring 32 is inclosed in a casing 33 and this spring has one endconnected to the casing and the other end to the sleeve 29 for rotatingthe sleeve upon the unwinding action of "the coil spring. The casing 33isrotatably mounted upon the sleeve 29 and has a ratchet 31%. carried byits inner side. A pawl 35 is pivotally carried by an upstanding arm 36of the bracket structure 25 and engages the peripheral teeth of theratchet 34;, for holding the casing 33 against rotary movement in adirection to unwind the coils of the spring 32, causing the unwindingaction of the spring to be imparted to the sleeve 29. A handle 36* iscarried by the casing 33 for manually rotating this casing to wind thecoil sprin 32. A worm gear 37 is keyed upon the sleeve 29 and it mesheswith a worm 38 carried by a vertical shaft 39. The vertical shaft 39 hasa governor e0 mounted thereon embodying the usual brake disk 41. A brakelever 42 is pivotally supported as shown at by a suitable arm 44;. Itsinner end which carries'the braking or friction head .6 is held out ofengagement with the dish e1 by a coil spring 16. A set screw t? iscarried by the arm 44: and engages the outer end of the arm 42 foradjusting the position the shaft 39, and consequently the speed ofrotation of the sleeve 29.

The worm gear 37 has a brake wheel or disk -Il8 attached to one surfacethereof which is; provided with peripheral ratchet 5 T he ratchet teethii) are provided for r ceiving the end lit of a pivotally mounted brakemember 51. This brake member 51 is carried by an arm 52 of thebracketstructure 25 and it has a weight 53 connected thereto whichnormally holds the brake member in braking position with the ratchetteeth 49 for arresting rotation of the sleeve 25) by the uncoilingaction of the spring 32, also holding this spring against unwinding oruncoiling. A control rod or cable 5el'is connected to the brake lever 50for moving this member out of braking engagement with the disk l8 topermit rotation of the sleeve and the consequent operation of thedistributing conveyer structure 13. This control rod or cable extendsforwardly along the airplane A to a position where it can beconveniently operated by the pilot or passenger of the airplane, such asby a hand lever The conveyor 13 passes outwardly through one site of thereceptacle 2, through an opening 56 therein, and a plate 57 isadjustably carried by the side of the receptacle provided with theopening 56, to permit regulation of the space above the uppermostportions of the flights 15, through which the literature or othermaterial may pass, so as to prevent the distribution of an excessiveqiuintity of literature at a time. Suitable means, such as a set screwand wing nut indicated at 58 may be provided for holding the door 57 inadjusted position.

The conveyer structure 13 includes the guiding side boards 59, whichextend upwardly along each edge of the conveyor structure for properlyguiding the literature upon the flights 15. i

The follower structure 12, includes the literature engaging head 60which has a rack bar 61 connected thereto. This rack bar 61 extendsupwardly through an opening 62 in the top of the receptacle 2 and has ahandle 63 upon its upper end whereby the follower may be manually movedagainst the under surface of the top of the receptacle during thefilling of the receptacle with literature to be distributed. A gear 64meshes with the teeth of the rack bar 61, and this gear is rotatablymounted upon a stationary shaft 65 carried by a suitable housing 67which incloses the gear. A coil spring 68 has one end connected to theshaft 65 and the other end connected to the gear as shown at 69, and theuncoiling action of the coils of this spring tends to rotate the gear 64in the direction to force the follower structure 12 downwardly intoengagement with literature within the receptacle, causing a post;

tive feedof the literature to the distributing conveyer structure 13. 1Summing up; the operation of the improved literature distributor isgenerically as follows: the literature is placed within the receptacle2, after the follower 12 has been moved upwardly above the'upper edge ofthe door 11, and the action of the coil spring 68 will force the head 60of the follower downwardly into pressing engagement with the literature,pressing the lowermost sheets thereof against the flights 15 of theendless distributing conveyer structureli-B, and when it is desiredtodistribute the literature, the lever 55 isoperated, which in turnoperates the cable 54, moving the brake member 50 out of a brakingposition and allowing the unwinding of the coils of the spring 32. Thisunwinding action of the coil spring 32 will rotate the sleeve 29, at thedesired speed, depending upon the adjustment of the lever 42 and theoperation of the governor 40. The rotation of the sleeve 29 will betransmitted in a reversed direction to the shaft 23 through the mediumof the gears 26, 27 and 28. The rotation of the shaft 23, will beimparted through the medium of the link 21 and the universal joints 20and 22 to the shaft 19, for operating the endless distributing con:veyer structure. The operation of this endless distributing conveyerwill carry the literature, removing the'lowermost piece, at a time, fromwithin the receptacle 2, carry it outwardly through the opening 56, andre lease it so that it may fall from the distributer. V

, Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit ofthe invention; but,

I claim:

1. In a distributer for aerial literature, a retaining receptacle, anendless distributmg conveyer within said receptacle, an operating motorfor said conveyer, power transmitting means connecting said conveyer andmotor, and comprising a beveled gear operatlvely connected to the motor,a

second beveled gear, a universal connection between the second beveledgear and the conveyer and a pinion connecting said beveled gears wherebythe conveyer will be operated in a reverse direction to the operation ofthe motor.

2. In a distributer for aerial literature, a retaining receptacle, anendless distributing conveyer within said receptacle, an operating motorfor said conveyer, power transmitting means connecting said conveyer andmotor and comprising a beveled gear opera-- tively connected to themotor, a second beveled gear, a universal connection between the secondbeveled gear and the conveyer and a pinion connecting said beveled gearswhereby the conveyer w1ll be operated 1n a retaining receptacle, anendless distributing conveyer, an operating motor for said conveyer,power transmitting means connecting said conveyer and motor andcomprising a beveled gear operatively connected to the motor, a secondbeveledgear, a universal connection between the second beveled gear andthe conveyer, a pinion connecting said beveled gears whereby theconveyer will be operated in a reverse direction to the operation of themotor, a brake ratchet connected to said firstnamcd beveled gear, apivoted brake lever, and'a pendant weight carried by the brake lever andnormally holding it in braking engagement with said ratchet, and anoperating rod connected to the brake lever.

at. In a distributer for aerial literature, a retaining receptacle, anendless distributing conveyer, an operating motor for said conveyer,power transmitting means connecting said conveyer and motor andcomprising a beveled gear operatively connected to the motor, a secondbeveled gear, a universal connection between the second beveled gear andthe conveyer, a pinionconnecting said beveled gears whereby the conveyerwill be operated in a reverse direction to the direction of operation ofthe motor, a governor mecbai'lism for controlling the speed of operation of the conveyer, a worm gear connected to said first namedbeveled gear, and means operatively connecting said worm gear andgovernor for operating the governor by rotation of the worm gear.

5. In a distributer for aerial literature, a retaining receptacle, anendless distributing conveyer, an operating motor for said conveyer,power transmitting means connecting said conveyer and motor andcomprising a beveled gear operatively connected'to the motor, a secondbeveled gear, a universal connection between the second beveled gear Iand the conveyer, a pinion connecting said beveled gears whereby theconveyer will be operated in a reverse direction to the direction ofoperation of the motor, a governor mechanism for controlling the speedof operation of the conveyer, a worm gear connected to said first namedbeveled gear, means operatively connecting said worm gear and governorfor operating the governor by rotation of the worm gear, a brake ratchetcarried by said worm gear, a pivoted brake lever, and a pendant weightcarried by the brake lever and normally holding it in meshing engagementwith said ratchet, and an operating rod connected to said brake lever.

6. In a distributer for aerial literature, the holding said brake inengagement with said combination of, a retaining receptacle, an brakedisk to retard 0 ration of said disendless distributing conveyer carriedby said tributing conveyer, anc means for releasing 10 receptacle, meansfor operating said disthe brake from engagement With the brake tributingconveyer, means for regulating the disk to permit operation of thedistributing speed of operation of said distributing conconveyer. veyer,a brake disk, a brake, means normally AUSTION LYON.

